Nameless (38 page)

Gryphon scanned the area for Gabe but he wasn’t supposed to be back for hours. He knew the Wolf was out here hiding somewhere. If they could somehow work together they might make it out of this situation alive. Though the odds of two lone men against a Ram mess unit weren’t ideal, Gryphon felt like he could do almost anything at that moment if it meant protecting his “family.”

He held his breath then darted behind another tree to give him the angle he needed to view the enemies he’d once called “brother.” It was too difficult to know for certain, but it looked like his entire mess unit, including Ajax, stood scattered about, studying prints in the ground and discussing strategy. He wasn’t surprised that Barnabas had given his brothers the task of finding him. The chief would see it as a way for his mess to prove their loyalty.

Gryphon turned to put a little more distance between him and the tree, choosing each step with careful precision. He searched the woods for Gabe, but he could have been hiding anywhere in the almost darkness.

Just when he reached the next tree, four strong hands grabbed him as if out of nowhere. Gryphon elbowed and fought his way out of two of his mess brothers’ grasp. He threw one man over his shoulder, and landed a wild punch to another brother’s throat to free himself.

“Don’t let him go!” Gryphon vaguely heard Zander’s orders in the background.

Gryphon left three men on the ground, but before he staggered away, another Ram tackled him. Then another. They bound his wrists behind his back and pulled him to his feet.

Gryphon was glad Gabe hadn’t come to his aid. The Wolf was the only one with the power to warn the Raven. No swords were drawn. His mess brothers would keep him alive long enough for Barnabas to make his death public.

Blood ran down Gryphon’s nose and into his mouth. A ringing in his left ear made Zander’s words foggy. “I accepted you into this mess.” Zander cocked his arm back and threw his fist into Gryphon’s stomach, causing him to double over and wheeze for breath. “I made you my second. Taught you everything I know.” Again, Zander reared back, only this time his punch landed squarely on the jaw. Gryphon’s vision faded. His legs forgot how to support his body.

“You’ve made me look like a fool.” Zander reached back to deliver another blow to the head.

Gryphon’s vision tilted as Zander turned to Ajax. His commander’s words clouded in Gryphon’s ear. “The healer can’t be far. Find them and kill them,”

Zander looked back to Gryphon. “We have what we came for.”

Gryphon bucked and kicked as his brothers dragged him back up the hill.

Back to the Gate.

Zo dug her fingers into the ground to keep her rooted in place as Gryphon fought off his brothers. They couldn’t have been more than twenty feet away. Eva crawled next to her and took her by the hand. She shook her head, pleading for Zo to stay still, like she knew that every muscle in Zo’s body was tensed and ready to run to Gryphon’s side.

Zo rocked back and sat on her heels, burying her face in the pine needles with arms reaching in Gryphon’s direction. Silent sobs rocked her frame as she pinched her eyes together so hard they hurt.

When the sound of fighting ended, Zander’s orders to find and kill her snapped Zo back to reality. She and Eva scampered back against the trunk of the tree, resting on either side of Tess and Joshua who still slept. Zo reached out to take the Ram girl’s hand, ignoring the pain from the blisters.

Gryphon was gone. Gone. And no matter how hard she fought, she couldn’t protect Tess and Joshua. It was over. The Ram had won.

Time passed, the sounds of Gryphon’s struggle were lost in the distance separating them. A set of boots approached with little attempt made to silence the sound. Whoever this Ram was, he knew he had nothing to fear from the prey he hunted. The boots froze before the tree. Zo held tighter to Eva and kissed the top of Tess’ sleeping head. The bough of the branch lifted to reveal Ajax. He stared at Zo for a long moment, his face twisted in agony. Then the bough of the tree branch dropped back to the ground and Ajax’s boots carried him away.

He let us go.

Zo’s breathing sped until she thought she might hyperventilate. They would survive. But even as the thought became reality, a black syrup of despair stretched its sinewy fingers around her heart.

She might not be able to help Gryphon, but she could get Tess, Joshua, Eva, and the rest of the Nameless to the Allies. Gryphon would want her to finish what they’d started.

Zo lifted a shaky hand to her lips, as if some remnant of Gryphon’s touch still lingered there, and let her head fall back against the tree trunk to grieve for someone she never believed she was capable of loving: A Ram.

Gryphon couldn’t stand to look at Ajax when he came back from fulfilling Zander’s order. He’d been gone only minutes, but Zander didn’t insult him by asking if he’d done the job. He wouldn’t be there if he hadn’t.

Iron manacles secured Gryphon’s wrists behind his back as he stumbled along the rocky slope back to the Gate. He searched the trees for Gabe but his vision swam in tears that rolled down his cheeks into the beginnings of his dark beard.

He’d failed everyone. Joshua, Tess, Eva, the Raven, and Zo. He swallowed hard.

Especially Zo.

Ajax fell in line beside him, his expression neutral, as if this was just another assignment.

Gryphon shot spears at Ajax with his gaze. He didn’t know what he wanted to see in his old friend. Regret? Sorrow? Perhaps some confirmation to extinguish his denial that Zo was actually gone.

Ajax looked straight ahead. Lines wrinkled his brow. Sweat beaded down the side of his face. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. He released a long breath and uncurled his clenched fist at his side to reveal the key to Gryphon’s restraints.

The key to freedom.

I’m staring at a blinking cursor, completely at a loss of how to untangle the hundreds of “thank you threads” jumbled in my mind. While these few words will only shine a dim light on the support I’ve received with this book, I’ll endeavor to try…

First and foremost, I have to thank the five talented writers who have traveled down this long road of publication with me. To Tahsha Wilson, Lois D. Brown, Margie Jordan, Jo Schaffer, and James Lewis: I love you and know that without your unfailing creative and emotional support, this book would never have happened. You’ve made the journey exciting, educational, and hilarious. With you, anything is possible. Watch out world, here they come.

My family is my secret weapon. Not once have I ever been told that this lofty dream was ridiculous or intangible. So thank you for the cheerleading, the babysitting, the edits, the story advice, and mostly your love. Casey, Liberty, and Boston: you’ll always be my number one. Haley Woods, your battles fought and victories won inspired Zo’s character. I’m stronger because I know you. Julie and Glayd, thanks for keeping me on the list. Special thanks to my parents, Lloyd and Haze Eldredge, who’ve always taught me that I can do anything with hard work and faith.

To the Game Night crew, my writing is officially not an “off-limits” subject any longer. I also need to send love to my fabulous beta readers: Brad Walker!, Stacy Jenkins, Kristen Whitely, Becca Gunyan, Jonathan Ryan, Micah Reese, Katie Jarvis, Whitney Rasmussen, and Haley Woods.

Special thanks to Georgia McBride and the Month9Books team for recognizing something special in Zo and Gryphon. You’ve been a joy to work with and have made me, as an author, feel so important and appreciated. NAMELESS is in wonderful hands!

In this tough industry it has become extremely difficult for a first time author to break through that illustrious glass ceiling of publishing. Thank you to my agent and friend, Amy Jameson, for taking a chance on a no-name girl with the curse of needing to tell stories. I consider myself deeply blessed to have you by my side in this journey. You are so sweet and kind and good, but as fierce as a lion when you need to be. I hope this is only the beginning in our happy partnership.

Clint, I dedicate this one to you. You believed in me when I struggled to believe in myself. You are the very definition of support. Thank you for being the foundation that I needed. For working so hard for us. I love you.

With her degree in History and Secondary Education, Jennifer had every intention of teaching teens to love George Washington and appreciate the finer points of ancient battle stratagem. (Seriously, she’s obsessed with ancient warfare.) However, life had different plans in store when the writing began. As a proud member of Writers Cubed, and a co-founder of the Teen Author Boot Camp, she feels blessed to be able to fulfill both her ambition to work with teens as well as write Young Adult fiction.

Jennifer has three children who are experts at naming her characters, one loving, supportive husband, a dog with little-man syndrome, and three chickens (of whom she is secretly afraid).

Visit her online at
jajenkins.com
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NOBODY’S GODDESS

THE ARTISANS

BRANDED

FIRE IN THE WOODS

THE EMISSARY